nicotine
by Mein Liebling
Summary: {because you're my love (drug) and i'll lie (die) for you babe } / "Dammit!" he punched the wall. "Just like fucking nicotine." / [Teddy/Victoire, Gang!AU, for Kaia]


i'll lie **(die)** for you  
>in this eternal boredom<br>watch you out of the corner of my eyes  
>but you never look my way<br>everyday the same old thing  
>but i'll lie <strong>(die)<strong> for you babe  
>because you still smile<br>because you're my love _(drug)_  
>and i'll lie <strong>(die)<strong> for you babe

* * *

><p>"You little-<em>!"<em>

It was a small alley. Aged, broken, bricks were peeling out of their mortar and little chips had already popped out from his fist continuously hitting it. He let out another roar as he slammed his bloody palm into the red, and he rested his forehead onto the brick, breathing heavily as he closed his eyes. "Leave." he croaked, and the bloody figure that was panting on the ground hastily stood up and limped away.

He rested that way for a few moments before straightening, his eyes flashing in the darkness as a piece of window glass caught the reflection, and he walked out of the alley and in the backdoor of a pub just across from it.

No one bothered to give him a glance as he collapsed in a small corner booth, pain still blossoming from his knuckles. He sighed as he nodded at the waiter and got her to bring him a water, and he dunked one of the complimentary paper napkins into the water to wash his hands. No need getting up, he knew that there was bound to be a brawl in the bathroom if he showed his face. (And he didn't feel like damaging it anymore, he means, he was told time and time again that his bright turquoise hair that he always dyed a new colour every week and his eyes that could never pick a colour were particularly handsome and dammit to hell he was going to keep it that way.)

"Your usual, Theo?"

He grimaced at his alias. "Sure. Make it extra cold."

The waitress nodded, already halfway over to the next loud and boisterous table to grab their orders. "You got it."

Teddy pressed the wet napkin closer to his skin, watching tiredly as the pale off white (or whatever colour it was, the lighting was bloody awful) turned into a faded and diluted red. "Great."

The busy waitress set down his drink and whisked away before he could thank her, so he just shrugged as he gulped down half the rum with a disgusted look on his face. "Gross."

Multicoloured eyes peered at the other patrons of the bar.

3 AM and it was still bustling like it was before midnight, but with the time and the area it was a lot more seedy. Rogues, gang members, thieves, hopeless alcoholics, they all roamed the streets, hoping to find an easy pick and a good night while the police were sleeping.

The red light district never slept after all.

Teddy drank the rest of his rum before sending a wave at the waitress, who being so used to him easily got the message and brought him over a second one. "Put it on my tab." He ordered.

"Already added." She winked. "Oi, Theo, could you look out for the girl in booth two for me while I grab your drink? I've been fighting off men for the poor thing all night, and I'm rather afraid to leave her be."

Teddy raised an eyebrow. "Look out for her? If she's that kind of girl she shouldn't be here, Lucy."

The redhead shrugged. "She's my cousin and is yes a bit of a goodie two shoes usually, but she's trying to let her hair down. Just watch out for her okay?"

Teddy muttered a halfhearted, "Yeah sure." but Lucy was already off to the bar. The turquoise haired man rested his chin on his hand as he stared at the girl in booth two.

As soon as he caught a good look at her, his breath caught. Damn she was hot. So pure and out of place too, with her long blonde hair and clear blue eyes, she screamed "target" and he knew that Lucy was right for having someone watch her.

(And maybe he was just a little bit smug that she asked _him_.)

He got up from his booth and stalked towards her booth, just at the same time as another man- older, pug faced- got up. Teddy gave the man a steely eyed look which had him snarl, but reluctantly sit down.

"Mind if I sit here?"

She looked up, startled, and Teddy was forced to look straight into her blue-blue eyes. _Damn she is beautiful._

The woman blushed pink. She was probably older than Lucy, he figured, but he wasn't quite sure as Lucy had a ton of cousins and the lady had a kind of ageless look to her. She was probably around his age though, or a little younger.

"Of course not, feel free."

Teddy sunk into the seat across from her and smiled. "So what's a lady like you doing in a place like here at this time of night?"

She blinked and then coughed, turning her head a little. "Curiousity." she said simply.

"Ah. A dangerous thing."

"Not to dangerous. 'Curiousity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back', right?"

"Are you satisfied yet?"

"Not currently."

Teddy grinned. "Well then, we'll have to fix that."

The woman cracked a woman and held out her hand for him to shake. "Victoire Weasley."

"...Teddy Lupin."

Victoire leaned forward and took a sip of her martini. "A pleasure to meet you, Teddy."

His eyes were locked on her lips and her golden hair, and he swallowed.

"Oh no, the pleasure's all mine."

* * *

><p>"Damn it!" He punched the wall, not minding the pain that blossomed from his fist and the scratches and bruises that appeared on his red skin as he dragged it down the brick.<p>

"Fucking just like nicotine." he hissed. "A drag. Damn it to hell." He kicked the wall angrily before pulling back his arms again and smashing them against the old bricks. He pressed his back against the bricks as he slid down and rested his face in his dirty palms. "Goddamit..."

Victoire leaned against the back door and watched him, her blue eyes confused and questioning, but she kept her mouth shut as she watched her friend.

"Oh fuck."

She sighed, finally alerting him of her presence, and grabbed his arm, ignoring his hiss of pain. "Teddy, stop this, now. Let's get you inside and you can sit down with an ice pack and wallow in self pity there. I don't think Lucy will appreciate the blood."

He was silent as she dragged him inside and nursed him, but as she scolded him for a third time a small smile came over his lips and he chuckled. "You're quite the mother-hen Weasley."

"I have to be when my friend's a gang boss that injures himself all the time." she joked.

He elbowed her and enjoyed her yelp of pain. "Scream it to the world will you?"

"What, that we're besties?"

He elbowed her again, and she swatted him as she bandaged his knuckles. "Oh shut up, you know you love me."

"Unfortunately..." he sighed.

She stuck out her tongue and winked.

* * *

><p>"Teddy, please, you have to stop getting yourself into fights!"<p>

"Woman, you don't understand what it means to be a _gang __boss. _You fight. You sell drugs. You possibly have a connection to the Black Market. You do things that make brawling look like the most innocent and kindest thing on the planet."

"That doesn't make me feel any better!" She glared at him as they sat in their regular booth- number two, possibly a VIP area as Lucy joked- as he had shown up at one AM (thirty minutes late) and with black eye.

"Victoire, I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine, alright?"

"No, not 'alright'. I don't want you getting hurt!"

"Well too late for that!" he snapped, and Victoire glared harshly, her hair falling out of it's loose ponytail she had hastily made when she saw him come in.

"Fine then!"

"Fine!"

They sat there for a few moments before Teddy deflated and scowled, turning his head to the side as to not look at her. "...I'm sorry okay? I won't stop fighting but I'll make sure you don't see it."

"I don't like that."

Teddy smashed his hands on the cheap table, making it shake. "Well dammit that's the best you're going to get, Vic!"

"I don't want you hurt!"

He opened his mouth to reiterate but she was too pissed off at him to let him continue. Victoire grabbed Teddy's scarred chin and forcefully pressed her lips to his to shut him up.

It shut him up alright, his eyes wide before he tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling it out of it's ponytail, and pressed his lips back on hers.

"...I just don't want you hurt, alright?" Victoire said quietly as they pulled apart, her blue eyes never once leaving his face.

He nodded slowly after a few moments. "...Alright."

Her smile lit up like Christmas tree and he leaned back in again.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Dedicated to the beautiful Kaia aka a beautiful misfortune. Hope you like it! *hearts*<em>**

_I've had like the first part of this hidden in my folders for a month and then yesterday I found it, pounded this out, threw it some sparkles and magic, and bamn. _

_Unbeta'd for now._

_I don't own Harry Potter._


End file.
